A government is an institution that holds a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence.
Max WeberRead
The modern view of criminal justice, broadly, is that public concern with morality or expediency decrees expiation for the violation of a norm; this concern finds expression in the infliction of punishment on the evil doer by agents of the state, the evil doer, however, enjoying the protection of a regular procedure.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote discusses how modern criminal justice reflects societal values regarding morality and punishment.
Max Weber's quote examines the contemporary perspective on criminal justice, emphasizing that society's moral concerns dictate the need for punishment when norms are violated. It highlights the role of state agents in executing justice while ensuring that the accused are protected by established legal procedures, illustrating the balance between moral accountability and legal rights.
Themes
Criminal JusticePunishmentMoralitySocietyLaw
In practice
Example use cases
During a panel discussion on law enforcement, one might say, 'As Max Weber noted, the modern view of criminal justice is shaped by our moral obligations to punish wrongdoing.'
More from Max Weber
All quotes →'Culture' is a finite segment of the meaningless infinity of the world process, a segment on which human beings confer meaning and significance.
Max WeberRead
The fate of our times is characterized by rationalization and intellectualization and, above all, by the 'disenchantment of the world.' Precisely the ultimate and most sublime values have retreated from public life either into the transcendental realm of mystic life or into the brotherliness of direct and personal human relations. It is not accidental that our greatest art is intimate and not monumental.
Max WeberRead
The purely emotional form of Pietism is, as Ritschl has pointed out, a religious dilettantism for the leisure class.
Max WeberRead
Power is the chance to impose your will within a social context, even when opposed and regardless of the integrity of that chance.
Max WeberRead
Causal analysis provides absolutely no value judgment, and a value judgment is absolutely not a causal explanation.
Max WeberRead
Similar quotes
Feminism... I think the simplest explanation, and one that captures the idea, is a song that Marlo Thomas sang, 'Free to be You and Me.'
Ruth Bader GinsburgRead
A simple man with Scripture has more authority than the Pope or a council.
Martin LutherRead
Scenery is fine - but human nature is finer.
John KeatsRead
The genius of a composer is found in the notes of his music; but analyzing the notes will not reveal his genius. The poet's greatness is contained in his words; yet the study of his words will not disclose his inspiration. God reveals himself in creation; but scrutinize creation as minutely as you wish, you will not find God, any more than you will find the soul through careful examination of your body.
Anthony De MelloRead
Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all defence whatsoever against oppression.
Lysander SpoonerRead
Some people, with a certain nostalgia, the worshippers and admirers of the colonial system, cherish and nurse its structures instead of smashing them. This is typical of a mentality in bondage to decadent values, negative values - counter-revolutionary values.
Samora MachelRead